2011 NFL Combine Preview: Events/Schedule

By: Roshan Bhagat | Updated: 2/23

From February 24-March 1, coaches and scouts will gather for the NFL Scouting Combine held annually at the fine facilities of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Over 300 invited prospects will be given the opportunity to interview for a potential job in NFL. They’ll be measured and have the chance to put their athletic prowess to the test. All 32 teams will closely eye these athletes to gauge their potential as they go through a number of drills and test their readiness inside the football classroom. Teams will want to know the ins and outs of their million-dollar investments and draft fans will want to see exciting athletes they can watch next fall—we hope. As an added wrinkle this year, keep an eye on the Collective Bargaining negotiations. Expect information to spread rapidly with every coach, scout, and general manager in the gathered together in the same city and the current CBA set to expire March 3. With the potential implementation of a rookie pay scale, this week becomes even more important, as the money pool for these young athletes will diminish for the first time in years. If this is your first time closely following the draft process, don’t worry—here a number of events to look for and what exactly to take from these numbers.

Weigh-in: Nearly every player in Indianapolis will be measured for height, weight, arm length, and hand length. Scouts will be watching as the players stand shirtless and get their measurements. It will also give NFL personnel the opportunity to see whose carrying those extra pounds and who looks ready to play football. Separate from the weigh-in, players will also be medically examined and marked up for all prior injuries. This information will rarely leak out to the public, but can be pivotal in the decision-making process for General Managers.

40 Yard Dash: The 40 Yard Dash is the most hyped event at the Combine. Players run from point A to point B 40 yards away and are timed at intervals of 10, 20, and 40 yards. While the 40 time may get the glamour, look for the 10 and 20 yard times that test explosion and have more relevance at most positions.

Bench Press: Players lie on a bench and lift a 225 pound bar and barbell as many times as they can. It tests upper body strength and is most important for offensive and defensive linemen. Keep in mind that this isn’t the ultimate strength test. Shorter armed players will have the opportunity here with less distance to extend the bar. Further, technique can help immensely, and in reality this is as good a test for preparation as it is strength.

Vertical Leap: Players stand flat-footed underneath plastic flags raised in the air and supported by a vertical bar. They jump with an extended hand to see how many flags they can rotate. It tests vertical leg explosion and is most important for receivers and corners to see how well they can compete for jump balls at the next level.

Broad Jump: Players stand flat-footed and try to jump as far as they can, while landing with balance. This also tests leg strength and explosion. The broad jump is most important for running backs.

20 Yard Shuttle: Perhaps one of the most important tests at the Combine that goes widely unnoticed by fans. Players run in a straight line, 5 yards to the left, 10 to the right, then 5 to the left again. It tests lateral quickness and change of direction and is equally important for all positions.

3 Cone Drill: Cones are placed in the shape of an “L” and players are forced to run around them starting and ending at the same line. It tests explosion, change-of-direction, and also body control. Like the 20 yard shuttle, this is also equally important for all positions.

60 Yard Shuttle: Also known as the long shuttle. It has the same format as the 20 yard shuttle, only longer. It’s a better test for speed and endurance than the 20 yard shuttle or the 40 yard dash, but many tend to forgo this drill.

Interviews: Teams will have the opportunity to speak with up to 60 players at the Combine. The interview will allow teams to ask just about anything ranging from football knowledge, off-field issues, to family. Nothing is off limits. Numbers are nice, but this could be the most important aspect of the Combine for every player. A wrong response could cost them a chance at a job in April.

Position-specific Drills: As great as the numbers look on paper, most NFL scouting departments will weigh the position-specific drills even more. There’s nothing better than watching a player move through bags, change direction on command, and react to footballs in the air without losing balance.

The Wonderlic Test: The Wonderlic is similar to the IQ test in testing intelligence. Players have12 minutes to answer 50 questions. Low scores for quarterbacks could spell disaster and have teams asking more rigorous questions in the classroom. If they can’t handle this material, can they handle the volumes of an NFL playbook?